Aircraft
News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.
Aircraft
Pilot Report: Cessna Mustang
The champagne corks were surely popping in Wichita on September 8 when Cessna Aircraft announced it had earned full type certification of its newest jet, t
Aircraft
Northwest Moves To Cut RJ Costs
Bankrupt Northwest Airlines has turned the financial screws on its existing Airlink partners by asking for bids from several regional airlines to fly RJs c
Aircraft
Global Express Enters Service
Bombardier announced last month the entry into service by an undisclosed customer of its new flagship business jet, the ultra-long-range Global Express XRS
Aircraft
Raytheon issues 1900D maint. alert
Raytheon issued a new safety communiqué to advise Beech 1900 operators of another misleading illustration in the type’s maintenance manuals.
Aircraft
Eclipse supplier problem looms
An ongoing “supplier problem” is casting a shadow over Eclipse Aviation’s receipt of its first FAA type inspection authorization earlier last month for the
Aircraft
Jet Aviation Becomes First Asia-Pacific BBJ Service Center
Boeing Business Jets has selected Jet Aviation Singapore as a BBJ-authorized service center.
Aircraft
Wing failure in Chalk's Mallard
The wing that separated from the Chalk’s Ocean Airways Grumman Turbo Mallard that crashed off Miami Beach last month showed signs of cracking in the main s
Aircraft
EASA Certifies IBIS AE270
Ibis Aerospace’s Ae270 turboprop single completed EASA certification, and FAA certification is expected shortly.
Aircraft
Socata TBM 850 gets EASA OK, FAA certification to follow soon
EADS Socata last month introduced the TBM 850 turboprop single, a more powerful, faster derivative of the TBM 700.
Aircraft
Avcon Industries Announces LearJet 35/36 RVSM Mod
Butler National subsidiary Avcon Industries has completed its first installation of its reduced vertical separation minimums (RVSM) solution for Learjet 35
Aircraft
Turboprop Baron Under Development
Spokane, Wash.-based Rocket Engineering is developing the Turbine P Baron in parallel with the Royal Turbine Duke program.
Aircraft
Distributor Marks Its 100th PC-12 Delivery
FBO Western Aircraft of Boise, Idaho, early last month celebrated delivering its 100th PC-12.
Charter & Fractional
Piaggio ramps up Avanti II production
As Piaggio Aero’s new Avanti II entered production last month, the company also announced it is increasing production to meet growing demand for the turbop
Aircraft
Farnborough turboprop renamed Kestrel JP100
The long-delayed Farnborough F1 utility turboprop single appears to have found new life through an agreement between its UK developer, Farnborough Aircraft
Aircraft
CIS Approves Four Gulfstream Models
Gulfstream received certification from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), formerly the USSR, for the G550, G500, G450 and G350.
Charter & Fractional
London Executive Aviation awaits Mustang deliveries
London Executive Aviation (LEA) is preparing to pioneer the use of very light jets (VLJs) in the European charter market.
Aircraft
Start-up looks for work for Continental Embraers
Houston-based ExpressJet Holdings has taken a $700,000, 49-percent share in JetX Aviation, a new regional start-up that plans to operate as ExpressJet Euro
Aircraft
King Air C90GT Replaces C90B
Raytheon Aircraft received FAA certification for its King Air C90GT and deliveries started last month.
Aircraft
News Note: Piaggio Aero Industries last month delivered the first Avanti II twin turboprop, to Swiss operator Fly Wings.
The seven-seat aircraft will operate from Switzerland Lugano Agno Airport.
The $6.27 million Avanti II received European Aviation Safety Age
The $6.27 million Avanti II received European Aviation Safety Age
Aircraft
Challenger 605 Enters Flight Test
Bombardier’s Challenger 605, announced at the 2005 NBAA Convention, made a nearly 3.5-hour maiden flight on January 22 in Montreal.
Aircraft
Winglets Approved for King Air 200
BLR Aerospace late last year received an STC for its winglet kit for King Air 200s.
Aircraft
New Prop-plane Noise Standards Eased
New amendments to Part 36 require a minimum 3 dB–noise reduction for small single-engine propeller aircraft– including turboprops–weighing more than 3,307
Aircraft
Spectrum 33 wings its way into test flight
Just two months after being unveiled at the NBAA Convention in November, the Spectrum 33 twinjet made a 10-minute first flight on January 7.
Aircraft
Epic-Farnborough partnership goes awry
A two-year-old, previously undisclosed partnership between Epic Aircraft parent Aircraft Investor Resources (AIR) and Farnborough Aircraft Corp.
Aircraft
Gulfstream ramping up production
A 27-percent increase in orders to 121 aircraft last year, compared with orders for 95 aircraft in 2004, and a further expected increase in sales is prompt
Aircraft
In The Works: Quest Kodiak
Quest Aircraft’s Kodiak prototype (S/N 001) has logged more than 330 flight hours and is currently on schedule to receive FAA certification in the second q
Aircraft
In The Works: Epic LT
Epic Aircraft parent Aircraft Investor Resources in December said it had resolved a row with the FAA over the status of kit-built Epic LT turboprop singles
Aircraft
In The Works: Vulcanair VF600W Mission
According to Vulcanair director of sales Remo De Feo, the VF600W Mission is still an active program, though it has been “severely delayed due to a number o
Aircraft
In The Works: Diamond D-Jet
Diamond’s Williams FJ33-powered D-Jet didn’t fly as planned in October, but the first flight appears to be right around the corner.
